Video Of Memphis Krystal Square Off V Qualifier

Rich LeFevre (center, above) came up big in Memphis against Erick "The Red" Denmark and Crazy Legs Conti.

The video of Rich LeFevre’s history-making win on Sunday at the Memphis Krystal Square Off V Qualifier is now up on our video page. Watch LeFevre take on young guns Juris Shibayama, Erik Denmark and Crazy Legs Conti as he becomes one of only two competitive eaters to make it to the finals of the Krystal Square Off five years in a row.

View the entire eight-minute hamburger eating contest below.

Rich LeFevre Wins Nail Biter In Memphis To Earn Krystal Square Off V Seat

Wherever competitive eating pro Rich LeFevre goes, the ladies are sure to follow, and they did in Memphis after he won the Krystal Square Off qualifier with 52 Krystals.

The Mid-South Fair in Memphis has been a familiar site on the Krystal Square Off circuit the past five years, and yesterday it drew many familiar names from the world of competitive eating as Krystal hosted the final qualifier of the year.

As expected, the event drew a tough field featuring some of eating’s finest including Rich LeFevre, Crazy Legs Conti, Juris Shibayama and Erik Denmark. All were looking to win a seat at the Krystal Square Off V World Hamburger Eating Championship this Sunday in Chattanooga, whether by victory or by grabbing one of the three wild card spots.

The sixty-four year old LeFevre, who has qualified for all four previous Krystal Square Off finals, was considered the slim favorite going into Sunday’s competition, and while he struggled to maintain the lead for most of the contest, in the end his experience triumphed over the youth and bravado of his competitors, earning him the win with 52 Krystal burgers. Shibayama, aka “Dr. Bigtime,” took second with 51 burgers, the same number he was credited with in Nashville a week ago.

Denmark, who promised a victory this week via his Twitter feed, improved upon his performance from a week ago when he ate just 43 Krystals, but he was penalized in Memphis for cramming two Krystals in his mouth after time was called. After deductions the Seattle-based eater was deemed the third place finisher with 50 Krystals. Crazy Legs, who last week downed half a century in Knoxville, finished two behind that mark in Memphis to finish fourth with 48 Krystals.

Click here for photos from the Krystal Square Off V Qualifier in Memphis.

Memphis Krystal Square Off V Qualifier: Where The Wild Cards Are

Being a competitive eating pro like Rich LeFevre has its advantages.

The Krystal Square Off V qualifying tour makes its final stop this Sunday, Sept. 21 in Memphis at the Mid South Fair, and if we used words like “doozie” (and we don’t) we’d say it looks to be a doozie with some big name competitive eating pros taking one last stab at winning a seat, or at least putting up a big enough number to earn one of the three coveted wild card spots at the finals in Chattanooga on Sept. 28.

Among the headliners confirmed for the contest include Rich LeFevre, Crazy Legs Conti, Juris Shibayama, Erik Denmark, Chris Abatsas, Damon Serignet and Steve Larson. LeFevre comes into the contest as the favorite with a previous best of 53 Krystals, but “Dr. Bigtime” Shibayama and Crazy Legs Conti will push the seasoned  pro to his limits as both just put up their biggest career numbers last week (51 and 50, respectively). Shibayama, who currently sits in the top three of the wild card race, was penalized with  debris deductions in Nashville, and if he cleans up his act he could easily hit 55 Krystals or more.

While Shibayama may not have to improve to make the finals, it’s do or die for Crazy Legs if he hopes to make a return trip back to Chattanooga. Of course he always has his competitive movie watching career to fall back on.

This will be the fifth year the Mid South Fair has hosted a Krystal qualifier. In 2004, Sam “Big Country” Vise made his eating career debut by beating Don “Moses” Lerman. A year later, Vise took the local title again by out-eating “Super” Dave Connolly 33 Krystals to 23. In 2006 and 2007, Tim “Eater X” Janus was king of the Krystal in Memphis, winning a close contest in 2006 against LeFevre and last year putting away an impressive 73 Krystals.

Keep following the action at all the qualifiers and finals this year on Twitter.

Juliet Lee Finishes On Top After 3-Way OT ‘Eat Off’ In Nashville - UPDATE

Juliet Lee's win in Nashville over Juris Shibayama (on left, above) and Badlands Booker (on right) was far from "lovely" as her excessive debris had some crying foul.

Juliet Lee, the No. 2-ranked female eater in the world, will return for the second year in a row to the Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship after a dramatic overtime win at yesterday’s Nashville Qualifier.

In a contest marked by controversy and the hottest and most humid conditions seen on the tour so far, Lee’s victory had some calling foul due to excessive debris during the eight-minute regulation period. After a lengthy conference with judges, Major League Eating made the decision to hold a three person eat-off, the first ever in Krystal Square Off history, between “The Lovely” Lee, Eric “Badlands” Booker and Juris “Dr. Bigtime” Shibayama. Each was presented with 10 Krystals, and Lee was first to consume hers, earning her the win.

Explaining its decision, IFOCE.com reports:

Juliet Lee maintained a five second dunk throughout regulation but pre-chewed so aggressively the judges had difficulty determining her final count. Many fans and eaters alike questioned the outcome. Judges determined that the eat off should occur.

Major League Eating has announced it will hold an an impromptu conference call this evening to consider the adoption of a new rule to eliminate confusion in future contests. While the Sheas are expected to be on the call, the league is still trying to confirm the participation of Commissioner Hungry Charles Hardy.

Credited with 51 Krystals each, Badlands and Dr. Bigtime now join Sonya Thomas as the top three non-winning numbers so far. If their numbers hold one more week, the three will compete at the finals in Chattanooga on Sept. 28, as the three wild card winners.

Among other competing in Nashville include Erik “the Red” Denmark, Dave “US Male” Goldstein, “Wild” Bill Myers, “Nasty” Nate Miller, “Pretty Boy” Pete Davekos, Andrew Wong and Steve Larson.

Check back here for photos and video from yesterday’s Nashville Qualifier.

UPDATE: Click here for photos from Saturday’s qualifier and OT eat-off in Nashville.

Competitive Eating Grudge Match Looms In Nashville

Don't let Juliet Lee's pretty smile fool you. She'll be looking to chew up the competition at the Nashville Krystal Square Off V Qualifier this Saturday.

The Krystal Square Off V qualifier in Nashville this Saturday is shaping up to be the most fiercely contested showdown of the season.

Three of competitive eating’s top gurgitators–Erik “The Red” Denmark, Juliet Lee and Eric “Badlands” Booker–are all confirmed to compete, and while they’re no equals in looks (the glamorous Lee wins by a landslide there), the trio are virtually a dead heat when it comes to Krystals.

Both Badlands and Lee have put down 44 Krystal hamburgers as their career best, and Denmark has done just one better, chowing 45 at last year’s finals in Chattanooga.

And not to be dismissed is long shot local Juris “Dr. Bigtime” Shibayama, who brings a personal best of 39 Krystals to the table Saturday.

So who has the edge? It’s tough to say, but with the wild card race getting tougher every week, the three will be gunning for nothing short of victory. Anything less and they’ll be sweating it out until the final qualifier is over on Sept. 21. Or even worse, they’ll be staying home on Sept. 28 when the Krystal Square Off V World Hamburger Eating Championship takes place in Chattanooga.

The Nashville qualifier will be held at the Tennessee State Fair on Saturday, Sept. 13. Registration for the five amateur on-the-spot slots begins at 1:00 p.m. and contest starts at 2:00 p.m.

Eaters confirmed as of today include:

Juliet Lee
Eric Booker
Erik Denmark
Juris Shibayama
Nathan Biller
Pete Davekos
Bill Myers
Dave Goldstein
Andrew Wong
Steve Larson

Follow the action as it happens this Saturday by signing up for Krystal Square Off’s Twitter feed.